Page 11 of Revelation

I roll my eyes and open the second photo. Oh. Wow. Hello, Jen’s beautiful tits. Yeah, that woman’s got some gorgeous tits, Imust say. But so what? I look up at Kat, ready to tell her she needs to take a chill-pill, and she’s absolutely seething with jealousy. If she were a cartoon character, her skin would be green and steam would be shooting out her ears.

I stifle a grin, remembering Kat’s sexy little speech about how she never, ever gets jealous. The girl is all talk. I open my mouth to speak, but before I can say a goddamned word, Kat launches into me again.

“Do you always just tell women what they want to hear, Josh? That’s what I wanna know. Which leads me to the million-dollar question: Have you just been tellingmewhat I wanna hear?”

My urge to smile vanishes. I throw up my hands, suddenly enraged. “Gimme a break, Kat. I’ve been one hundred percent honest with you and you know it.”

“I’m not so sure. You keep telling me I’m ‘the most beautiful woman you’ve ever been with’ and then I see you’ve been with a freaking Victoria’s Secret ‘Angel.’”

“So?” I ask.

“So, then I know for a fact you’re just blowing smoke up my butt.”

“Oh my God. You’repissedI said you’re more beautiful than a Victoria’s Secret supermodel?” I take a deep breath, trying to control my rising anger. “Why are you doing this? I haven’t given you shit about Cameron Schulz or any of the guys you’ve slept with—and it sounds like there’s plenty to choose from.”

Oh shit, I shouldn’t have added that last bit. Ooph. The top of her head just popped off.

“Well, maybe you’d react differently if Cameron emailed me a photo of his balls and asked me to ‘motorboat’ them!” Her eyes bug out. “Again!” she shrieks.

I stifle the urge to laugh. She’s pretty funny right now.

Kat’s still fuming. “And you wanna know the reasonwhyCameron’s not sending me goddamned dick-and-ball-pics?” she continues. “Because I was honest and clear with him about my lack of interest.”

“Oh, okay, sure, Kat—you’re so fuckinghonestall the time.Let’s talk about that cute little speech of pure fiction you made about how you never, ever get jealous unless you’re in a committed relationship. Hmm? What about that?” I scoff. “So, okay, maybe I didn’t get mywords exactly right when I talked to Jen. But that was because I was trying to let her down easy. At least I was trying to benice.”

She clenches her jaw. “What does that mean? You don’t think I’m nice?”

I pause. “No, I... I think you’re nice—really nice. It’s just that...” Why do I keep feeling like I’m digging myself a deeper hole? “It’s just that, you know, you’re a Scorpio,” I say.

She looks at me blankly.

“God wouldn’t have designed you with a stinger on your tail if he didn’t want you to use it on occasion, right?”

Her mouth is hanging open.

“But that’s okay. I like your stinger.” Oh boy. I’m really not doing myself any favors here. Okay. Once again, the best defense is a good offense. “Jesus Christ, Kat,” I say. “You’re just like my fucking brother—physically perfect and you don’t even know it. And you’re needy just like him, too.” I shake my head. “Kat, you’re absolutely beautiful. I told you. I couldn’t have designed you better myself. But you’re also insane, apparently. You’re seriously driving me crazy.”

Her cheeks flush.

There’s a long beat.

“I’m not usually this crazy,” she says softly. She twists her mouth. “Something happens to me when I get around you.” She throws up her hands. “Look, I’m being an asshole—okay? I realize that. I’m sorry.” She exhales and flaps her lips together. “I tell you what. I’m gonna go downstairs and meet up with Henn and do the photo thing for my Oksana passport, okay? And while I do that, why don’t you stay here and write a reply to Jen. Whatever’s the truth, just tell her, once and for all, as clearly as possible.”

“I’m not interested in her, Kat, like I keep saying.”

She bares her teeth. “Glad to hear it. And after I do the photo thing with Henn,” she says, “I’m gonna sit my butt down at a Blackjack table, drink some whiskey, and get control of myself. I’m sorry I lost it—that email just really threw me for a loop.”

“Why?” I ask. “I already told you I fucked Jen. And, yeah, okay, I buried my face in her tits when I did it. So sue me.” I grin. “She’s got some really nice tits.”

Kat presses her lips together.

“Kat, she means nothing to me, like I said. I only called herbecause I told her I would when I ran back into the party and practically ran her over trying to get your shoes and purse.”

There’s a long beat.

“I don’t get why you’re reacting this way,” I say.

Kat looks up at the ceiling and then back at me, her face suddenly awash in emotion. “Just tell me right here and now, once and for all: are you Garrett Bennetting me?” she blurts. Tears suddenly flood her eyes and she wipes them.

---